10 Traditional German Stews (+ Easy Recipes)

These hearty German stews will keep you warm all winter long!

Bold and meaty, these comforting bowls are a carnivore’s dream. 

German stews are not only budget-friendly, but they’re also wholesome and thick.

They feature everything from brisket to beef and rabbit to chicken.

No stew is complete without the veggies, so there are plenty of potatoes, carrots, and onions. 

Of course, we are talking about German food, not, say Croatian foods,. So you’ll find a couple of brews in there, too!

Grab a bowl, get cozy, and let’s explore these German stews.

1. Brisket Stew with Mushrooms and Black Lager

If a bold stew is what you’re after, you won’t be disappointed. 

This Bavarian classic is quite possibly the most robust stew that exists. 

In Germany, this stew is known as Bierfleisch. That means “beer meat,” which could not be more accurate.

Bobbing in a black lager-infused beef broth is big chunks of juicy brisket and mushrooms.

Adorning the top are pickles and fried onions. 

If you can’t find a good black lager, a porter, stout, or Dunkel work, too. 

2. Bavarian Hunter’s Beef Stew

Here’s the Bavarian hunter’s secret to fixing up a hearty meal.

You brown cubed beef and simmer it in red wine with beef stock, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and potatoes. 

It’s plenty meaty, very filling, nourishing, and beginner-friendly.

If you’re ravished from a hard day’s work or need an economical stew, you’ll love this recipe.

This hunter’s take is one you’ll want to remember for those dreary days. 

3. German Goulash

Cold hard winters are best paired with a warming bowl of goulash done the German way. 

While most people think of goulash as a Hungarian dish, the Germans have a flavor-packed version, too.

It features stewed meat with veggies in a thick robust gravy, and this one is complex! 

With chuck beef, bell peppers, and carrots as the main ingredients, the brown gravy broth adds an astounding amount of layers. 

It’s a big and bold blend of Better than Bouillon, red wine, beef broth, sweet paprika, and dried herbs.

4. Jägerkohl (German Hunter Cabbage Stew)

Jägerkohl is a type of German hunter cabbage stew that’s packed with meat. 

In one pot, you get kielbasa, bacon, and ground beef. 

Every good stew needs a veggie component to match. This one keeps it simple with cabbage, potatoes, and onions. 

Cook it on the stove or toss it in the Instant Pot. Also, if you’ve got some crusty bread, grab yourself a hunk. 

A stew like this will get you through the winter, and hunting season, for that matter!

5. Hühnerfrikassee (German Chicken Stew Instant Pot)

Want something rich and nourishing? This German stew will fix you right up!

Hühnerfrikassee is a creamy mixture of chicken and veggies in a thick roux with Riesling and capers. 

It’s humble and decadent with a touch of class. It’s also super comforting on a chilly day. 

Using the Instant Pot, it will take about an hour to make. 

In the meantime, you can get the rice going. After all, a thick stew like this needs something to soak it up. 

6. Slow Cooker Oktoberfest Stew

Beers and brats are great for Oktoberfest. But so is this stew!

It’s the perfect way to soak up a brew.

You doctor up the chicken broth with a crisp German lager, apple cider vinegar, caraway seeds, and bay leaf. 

It’s the perfect base to spoon over the thick medley of bratwurst, carrots, onions, and potatoes. 

The process is also as effortless as it gets. Toss all your ingredients in the Instant Pot, then let it cook all day. 

Mind you, you’ll want to give it the occasional stir.

7. German Rabbit Stew

When you cook rabbit right, it can be delectable. And this German stew knows just how to do it. 

Originating in Southern Germany, this classic stew is a rich and bright blend of chicken stock, sour cream, lemons, bay leaf, and capers. 

Of course, there’s rabbit in there as well! Actually, there are two. 

Like all good stews, it will take some time to prepare. But it’s a great way to cook a hunter’s hare. 

8. Bauerntopf 

Bauerntopf is a German way of saying “farmer’s pot.”

It’s a comforting stew that features two main ingredients: meat and potatoes. 

Those two humble ingredients come together with bell peppers, onions, garlic, red wine, and spices in a robust tomatoey beef broth. 

If you happen to have parsley, sprinkle it on top. Then, grab some sourdough bread to lap it all up. 

9. Swabian Gaisburger Marsch

Swabia is a region in southern Germany and home to this chunky stew.

Gaisburger Marsch is another meat and potatoes classic that traditionally uses ox. This one, though, calls for Tafelspitz.

Tafelspitz is merely boiled beef.

Fix it up with green beans, potatoes, onions, and homemade Spaetzle. That last one is German egg noodles.  

10. Hearty Pichelsteiner

Looking for a classic German recipe to feed the family? Go with Pichelsteiner. 

Pichelsteiner is hearty, high-protein, and serves a family of six. 

Beef, pork, and lamb are the main proteins.

So you’ll want hardy veggies like carrots, cabbage, onions, celeriac, parsnip, and kohlrabi.

With all that going on, you’ll keep the seasoning simple with salt and pepper.

It does take a couple of hours until it’s ready. So get it going early.